Art gallery receives £49,500 in funding

Wolverhampton Art Gallery has been awarded a £49,500 grant in its bid to create a new screen media exhibition gallery.

Wolverhampton Art Gallery is one of 25 museums and galleries to receive funding from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport/Wolfson Museums & Galleries Improvement Fund, which supports capital improvements. This includes the development of collections and exhibition spaces.

In its project Creating a Space for Screen Media, Wolverhampton Art Gallery intends to develop a new gallery foran ongoing programme of screen media works. 'Screen media' refers to art which is film or incorporates elements of moving image. At present, only a few art galleries consistently present this type of work, one of which is Tate.

Although the Art Gallery already shows screen media, there are equipment and structural limitations. A flexible, purpose built space will allow screen media to be displayed to the highest standard and create a new welcoming environment for visitors. It is planned for the current Contemporary gallery to be redeveloped for this purpose.

Wolverhampton Art Gallery started developing its screen media collection in 2009. Since then, it has developed a first class collection featuring works by internationally renowned film and video artists such as Turner Prize winner Jeremy Deller, twice nominee Willie Doherty and nominees Jane and Louise Wilson and Luke Fowler. Acquisitions have also been made jointly with the Imperial War Museum.

Councillor Elias Mattu, Wolverhampton City Council's Cabinet Member for Leisure and Communities said "We are delighted to have received funding from the Wolfson Foundation. Screen media is very popular with the public and a dedicated space will allow artists' works to be presented at the highest quality."

UK Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Sajid Javid said: "The Government is committed to supporting the arts and making sure our marvelous museums and inspiring galleries continue to be accessible to all. Thanks to the generosity of the Wolfson Foundation our cultural destinations in communities across the country are going from strength to strength and remain much loved places to visit and explore."

Paul Ramsbottom, Chief Executive of the Wolfson Foundation said: "This partnership between the Wolfson Foundation and DCMS is an exemplar of how a charity and government can work together. We are delighted to be funding so many wonderful projects across the length and breadth of the country. The country's museums and galleries continue to be an inspiration."

Wolverhampton Art Gallery received £49,500 from the DCMS Wolfson Fund to develop its Screen Media space. Once developed, the Art Gallery will be the first in the region to consistently show this type of work.